Finland – United Kingdom trade decreased significantly at the end of the one-year transition period for Brexit in December.
Finnish Customs figures suggest that companies exported 23 per cent less and imported 52 per cent less goods from the United Kingdom.
The reduction in imports was higher than the average for imports to the other EU countries. Imports to the remaining 27 member states fell by more than 40 per cent in January.
The worst areas of decline were the categories of food and animal-based products.
The main reason for the collapse in trade was the end of the Brexit transition period. The reinstatement of tariffs and other formalities has complicated the activities of not only businesses, but also officials as the withdrawal agreement was not ironed out until Christmas Eve.